Understanding the Cross as Political Resistance: Paul, Power, and the Way of Jesus - w/ Tim Gombis

Episode • Aug 12, 2019 • 1h 9m

How Paul’s vision of the cross calls the church to resist domineering power structures and create a radically different community rooted in the kingdom of God. In this fifth installment of the Exile Series, Mike Erre and special guest Dr. Timothy Gombis unpack a deeply political and countercultural lens for following Jesus, grounding the conversation in Paul’s letters and the gospel of Mark.

Hear how our identity as the church reorients our political posture—not toward partisan divides, but toward the radical surrender, hospitality, and justice modeled by the crucified Christ. This wide-ranging conversation tackles nationalism, immigration, abortion, the misuse of Romans 13, the myth of a “Christian nation,” and the idolatry of power in both American culture and the evangelical church.

Key Takeaways: • Politics as the Expression of Discipleship – Why Paul’s gospel is entirely political—but not in the way we think. The church is a political body under the lordship of Jesus. • The Cross as Political Suicide and Kingdom Triumph – Cruciformity (living in the shape of the cross) is not a private spirituality but a public, political resistance to domination, exploitation, and hierarchy. • Rejecting Empire Loyalties – How aligning Christianity with political parties or nationalism leads to idolatry, and why liberal/conservative labels distort the gospel's political implications. • Political Engagement ≠ Party Politics – Practical ways the church can embody Jesus’ politics today: from advocating for immigration reform to welcoming marginalized communities. • Interrogating the Pro-Life Identity – Gombis challenges a one-issue approach to Christian ethics by re-centering compassion, justice, and sustained action through the local church rather than political coercion.

Guest Highlights: Dr. Timothy Gombis – Pauline scholar, professor at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and creator of the blog “Faith Improvised.” Gombis brings deep expertise on Paul’s political theology and gospel ethics, particularly around the themes of empire, identity, and cross-shaped living. His fresh reading of Mark and Paul's letters calls us to a bold reimagining of what it means to follow Jesus in the public square.

Resources Mentioned: • Faith Improvised Blog – faithimprovised.blogspot.com • Michael Gorman – Inhabiting the Cruciform God – [Link] • Michael Gorman – Reading Paul – [Link] • Sylvia Keesmaat & Brian Walsh – Romans Disarmed – [Link] • Scot McKnight – Reading Romans Backwards – [Link] • Ephesians: The Drama of Ephesians by Tim Gombis – [Link] • Mark 4: The Parable of the Soils – Reimagined as a critique of superficial discipleship and misuse of Jesus’ message

Join us in this vital conversation as we rethink what it means to be the Church in exile—a community shaped not by cultural battles or fear, but by radical love, justice, and the Lordship of the crucified Christ.

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Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

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